A State-level convention on the theme of shrinking democratic spaces and growing State repression, organised by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), was inaugurated on Saturday.
Delivering the inaugural address on “preventive acts and human rights”, D. Hariparanthaman, a former judge of the Madras High Court, said that acts of prevention and repression and the struggle for human rights go hand in hand in the present climate prevailing in the State.
“Compared to other States, Tamil Nadu has been harsh on people fighting for civil rights and liberties over the last few years. There are often struggles to even host a conference or a convention like this one and we really need to discuss how we are functioning as a democracy,” Mr. Hariparanthaman said.
Usha Ramanathan, an independent law researcher from New Delhi, spoke about the Supreme Court judgment on Aadhaar and its implications.
Comprehensive review
The two-day conference, will seek to have a comprehensive view on the repressive climate in Tamil Nadu against non-party and non-violent protests which had serious implications for society, the organisers said.
Talks on challenges faced by human rights movements, withholding the rights of education and the state of women’s rights would feature as part of the convention.
